A real page turner! A bookshop in the war, a women and a child who need to hide and the beginning of a round of resistance. A modern day story about finding an empty bookshop and researching its past.

As a fan of historical fiction, I was looking forward to reading this story, employing dual timelines. The historical timeline was the more interesting story, revolving around the acts of Resistance by Jacques Duval, a bookshop owner. When his wife Mathilde goes missing during the war,Jacques becomes involved in helping those hiding from the Nazis in Paris. The contemporary storyline was more of a romance, with Juliette leaving her unfaithful husband and starting over in Paris. It was just okay for me. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for an ARC of this book.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Forgotten Bookshop of Paris navigates between two storylines; a modern American woman, Juliette, rediscovering herself in Paris, and a 1940s couple, Jacques and Mathidle, navigating Nazi threat. The two stories are expertly woven together with an ending that was perfectly satisfying and not what I guessed. A great read!

In this dual timeline WWII historical fiction, present day, Juliette inspired by a of a square in Paris takes a trip with her husband ultimately to search for the location and details of her ancestry. While on the trip, she learns that her husband is having an affair with a neighbor. He returns home, but she stays behind, a decision which not only reveals family secrets, but ultimately changes her life’s path.
Just after the Nazis take over Paris, Jacques, a bookshop owner, and his wife, Mathilde. a museum worker anxiously await the changes that they know will come as a result of Nazi occupation. Food becomes more difficult to find, neighbors are taken from their homes and sent away, homes, shops, museums and libraries are looted, and the couple feels that there must be something they can do to help.
The story lines are intricately intertwined with well developed characters and will keep you intrigued until the end. I could not put it down. There is a lot of insight into the resistance movement inside Paris and how people banded together to save their friends and neighbors. Beautifully written, highly recommend. Thank you to Net Galley for the ARC of this book.

Jacques & Mathilde and Kevin & Juliette: two couples living separate lives at different times in history. One couple has been torn apart by a world war, the other torn apart by a personal one. The Forgotten Bookshop offers a glimpse at these parallel stories that take place more than eighty years apart.

Jacques & Mathilde, were a young couple madly in love and full of hopes, dreams, and ideals until France was invaded and their way of life became threatened. Jacques, a bookstore owner must deal with ever-increasing regulations and rules and the implied threats from the Germans who regularly visit to ensure his compliance. Mathilde on the other hand cannot sit idly by and joins the resistance. Upon her arrest, Jacques is left alone and faces questions of where his loyalties should lie.

Kevin and Juliette living in the present time have been on holiday in France. Guided by a painting of a French scene, Juliette is hoping to find out more about her French grandmother. And just as they prepare to head home to America, Juliette discovers a secret that threatens to change the course of her life. Deciding to stay in France while Kevin returns home, Juliette begins a journey of discovering not only her grandmother's past but the discovery of her own present and future.

The circumstances each of these couples faced were entirely different. The book focuses on Jacques' perspective through several years of not knowing whether his wife was alive or dead. And in the modern-day story, readers follow Juliette as she navigates a new country, new friends, and the new dream of reviving a bookshop that has long been forgotten.

I really enjoyed the alternating storylines between the past and the present. The contrast between the two couples was immense but the determination to carry on in the midst of adversity and dashed dreams was inspiring. But I was deeply disappointed in the moral choices that some of the characters made. One spouse's unfaithfulness does not justify another's immorality and made me less sympathetic to the originally wounded party. Unfortunately, that portion of the storyline makes me hesitant to recommend this book unreservedly to others.

Disclaimer: I received a free digital copy of The Forgotten Bookshop from NetGalley for the purpose of review. No other compensation was received.

The Forgotten Bookshop in Paris is a dual timeline novel with the main story taking place in Paris between 1939 and 1945. Jacques, the owner of La Page Cachée (The Hidden Page) bookshop and his wife Mathilde are mostly just trying to survive life in German occupied Paris and stay below the radar. Their resistance activities begin with helping an elderly British neighbor hide from the enemy and eventually assist her to leave Paris. Thus begins a series of individuals who are sheltered in a hidden storeroom within the bookshop, so appropriately named. The present day story serves to bring the history of these endeavors out of the shadows of the past with the reestablishment of a bookshop in the same premises by Juliette, an American with an unexplained attraction to the past and this particular place.
I loved the WWII story. I thought it was a very good depiction of everyday life during the occupation, with real events interspersed into the narrative. Everything was realistic You could feel the fear engendered by the deteriorating conditions and the tension of living in these difficult times caught between appearing to cooperate while making daily small efforts to make a difference in the fight against the occupiers.
The modern storyline was more of a filler for me in the beginning, but it served its purpose well and became more interesting as the two storylines intersected.
I highly recommend The Forgotten Bookshop in Paris, which is the second of two adult historical fiction novels by Daisy Wood. The first is The Clockmaker’s Wife, which I have not yet read but fully intend to. Whenever I read what for me is a new author and I’m checking to see if there is a backlist I can also read, I know I have found a very good author. Ms Wood has joined that group.
Thank you to the author, the publisher Avon and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an ARC.

Thanks #NetGalley for the advanced copy of #TheForgottenBookshopinParis in exchange for an honest review.

It's been a while since I read a historical fiction novel so I wasn't sure what to expect going in but this book intrigued me from the very beginning. The writing is clean and clear and it flowed from past to present with no problems. It was an interesting and sad tale that I couldn't put down. This book made me smile and cry, smile to see the good in people, to see people who put their lives in danger to help others and it made me cry, cry for parents and children who had to separate for any number of reasons, cry for so many families destroyed because of hatred. Yes, I know this story isn't based on a true story but it is a reminder that there were people who did these kinds of things to help others. Back to the story, I loved how Ms. Wood brought it all together in the end. Glad I requested this book even though it's out of my normal genre.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper 360 for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

In The Forgotten Bookshop in Paris we follow two stories: a bookseller in 1940s Paris who lives through the German occupation and a modern day woman on a trip to Paris who is looking for family history.

This was a lovely story of learning to be who you truly are and choosing the life you want to be proud of. The characters were interesting but I was usually more moved by the supporting characters rather than the main two. The story itself was really well done. The foreshadowing that somehow our characters would be related was nicely done and I was always excited with each new detail we learned trying to figure out how before it was revealed.

However, as I was reading things just felt off but for a while I couldn't put my finger on it. Then almost half way through, it hit me that there was literally no descriptive writing. The entire book is basically just a series of actions or characters thoughts. We don't get any kind of prose setting the scenes and that really threw me off.

If you are a fan of The Nightingale or All The Light We Cannot See I wouldn't miss this.

I'm a little torn on how to rate this. I generally don't go above a 2 if I wouldn't read the book again. I really enjoyed the story line but the writing left me off balance enough that this isn't something I would pick up again. At the same time, this is something that I would recommend to people, especially if the are big WWII historical fiction aficionados. So, this is probably more of a 2.75

⭐️ ⭐️

#TheForgottenBookshopinParis #NetGalley

The Forgotten Bookshop in Paris by Daisy Wood, is about a broken marriage, healing, romance and well researched history. Set in the city of lights during the 1940's and in present time told by the points of view of the two main characters.

It was Paris 1940, Jacques and Mathilde have been married a short time when the horrors of war began to affect their lives; the Germans had taken over the city, and no one was safe. Jacques continued to work in his beloved little bookshop, La Page Cachée, while Mathilde worked at the nearby art gallery. The couple lived in an apartment a couple of floors above the bookshop, under the close scrutiny of Madame Bourdain; unsure if she can be trusted. Mathilde finds living under German occupation difficult, as the Gestapo are watching her movements and she needs to flee Paris. Jacques sends Mathilde into hiding, vowing to meet in a little spot, on the day of their wedding anniversary each year. Mathilde would be safe and Jacques would be helping in the war effort, using the secret room in his bookshop, he created before the war started, to hides boxes, supplies, people escaping across the borders, and eventually Jewish children. He desperately hopes Mathilde is safe in the countryside, as he can’t contact her, hopeful to meet after the war ends.

Juliette and her husband Kevin traveled from America to France for a much needed holiday, in the year 2022. Juliette’s grandmother had been born in the city of love and lived through the war years; although she refused to talk about it before she died. Juliette was left a painting, that was a large part of her grandmother’s life and she was determined to find the little square depicted. Kevin can’t wait to return home, and when Juliette discovers why, he left, leaving Juliette to search alone for her Parisian roots and investigate her grandmothers mysterious past. Juliette grandmother left her a picture of a square in Paris and she explores the Parisian streets and cafes trying to find it. Juliette finds a derelict old store for sale, in the square she'd been drawn to. Juliette decided to renovate and re-open the old store, calling it The Forgotten Bookshop. As she sets about renovating the old bookshop she uncovers the hidden secrets from the past.

Daisy Wood flawlessly combines the past and the present in a wonderful and well written dual timeline tale. Jacques, Mathilde, and Juliette are interesting characters, making it enjoyable to read about their connection the story about war, love, loss, betrayal, rebellion, defiance, hardship, secrets, greed, and fate. I highly recommend The Forgotten Bookshop in Paris to other readers.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

Bookshops, Paris, WW2 Historical Fiction - these tags easily captured my interest. If you’ve been following my Instagram (or if you have the time to scroll down), you’d notice that these are the common themes of the books that I read.
That is why I was so happy when I got the ARC for The Forgotten Bookshop in Paris from NetGalley!

Like most historical fictions books, The Forgotten Bookshop in Paris goes back and forth 2 periods - Paris during the 2nd World War and Paris in 2022.

I enjoyed reading both stories, but I prefer the one set during the war. I mostly read about women joining the Resistance movement, but this time, the book tells about a man’s role in the resistance. Jacques, an ordinary bookshop owner, bravely saved kids, women and men by hiding them in a secret compartment inside his bookshop. The book also tells us how books give comfort during that very difficult period.

While the one set in Paris 2022 was also entertaining, I felt that the plot was too typical of chick flicks. While there’s nothing wrong with chick flicks, I love watching movies under this category, but I think that it’s a contrast to the other story, instead of complementing it. I hoped to read more about what happened to Jacques than to read about Juliette’s love affair.

Overall, the book was good read, an easy one even. I finished it quickly and I was really entertained.

If you love bookshops, WW2, Resistance stories and Paris just like me, I’m sure you’ll enjoy this one too.

Rating it 4/5.

I thought this book was pretty good. I was hooked!! The characters were very well written. The whole book was just wow!! I was impressed with this story

This book has dual timelines in Paris, France — 1940s and current day. I absolutely loved the 1940s storyline that centered around the owner of a bookshop during WWII and occupied France. Jacques’s character growth and dimensions continued to win me over as a reader, feel his torn heart, and take part in his battle of mixed emotions. The current day timeline left me slightly unsatisfied. I loved the strong female lead perspective, however I didn’t buy into the connection between Juliette and Nico. After Nico’s several misguided and rude actions, he was never able to gain back my trust.

*SPOILERS*
In the end, these timelines connect and bring light to the bigger picture. It felt both heartwarming and heartbreaking as you learn Jacque grows to become a hero, saving the lives of many, though he is captured and dies in a concentration camp without being able to learn about his wife’s journey and say goodbye to her.

The book is truly well written, keeping me glued and invested in the 1940s storyline. The current day timeline fell flat in my opinion. That’s why I’d give this a 3.5 stars.

Note: I received this book from NetGalley. My review contains all my own thoughts and feelings on the book.

This was such a beautiful story and one of the best I’ve read in a long time. I could not put it down. This makes me want to go to Paris even more.

Superb book! I loved the characters in this book and how the past and present come together.

Jacques is the owner of a small bookshop in Paris and has married the love of his life. As this is on the cusp of Paris falling to the Nazis, circumstances change rapidly.......

In present day, Juliette is enjoying a getaway with her husband of twenty-five years, until she isn't, and she remains in Paris as he returns home. Being a quarter French, she decides to research her family history.

I so enjoyed how the stories intertwined and I was sad to have it end. But what a satisfying ending! I really encourage anyone who likes WWII fiction mixed with some love and intrigue to read this book. You will love it!
Thanks to Netgalley for this ebook.

I just finished another spectacular read - thanks to NetGalley for the privilege once again to read another advanced read.

The Forgotten Bookshop in Paris, told in two timelines 80 years apart, held me spellbound from the very beginning. Paris is my favorite city in the world. Like the main character Juliette I find the people to be extraordinarily friendly and helpful. I laughed when Juliette (a retired French teacher from the US) travels to Paris and begins a conversation in fluent French only to have the respondent reply in English!!!

Like Juliette, I could identify with her need to find out more about her grandmother's connection to the past from minimal clues.

The heartbreaking story of the Resistance in Paris during WWII is just that - raw and heroic at the same time.

This novel is both heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time and oh so satisfying an ending! Bravo Daisy Wood!

The Forgotten Bookshop in Paris is a ticking time bomb of intrigue, cloaked in stark yet opulent descriptions of the Blitz. This exquisitely crafted narrative is the ideal amalgamation of historical fiction and espionage, sure to captivate readers with its thrilling plot and vivid imagery.

Omg! Loved this one! A fast, fun, romantic read. A little bit of history, some feminist strength, and a little bit of spice. Told in a split story, it alternates between Jacques in World War 2 Paris and his bookshop that he uses to help save people from the Nazis, and Juliette who has come to Paris on a romantic getaway with her husband. She realizes some things about her marriage and decides to stay in Paris alone to soul search and learn more about her own French roots. The story is masterfully woven together slipping effortlessly from one time period to the other. The ending is perfect. I can’t recommend this one enough, especially for WWII lovers!

In this dual timeline historical fiction, we follow the tale of Jacques during WWII and of Juliette in 2022. The story centers around a bookshop in Place Doree in Paris where Jacques finds ways to resist the Nazis and Juliette is drawn to from an old painting from her grandmother.

This story felt a little bit different than the tidal wave of WWII dual timeline stories on the market in that it focused on a man and a woman. That was a refreshing take. I appreciated the parallels between the characters as I finished the novel. Both were separated from their spouses and had to make sense of life on their own. Both embodied different kinds of bravery. If I had to pick one, I'd say I preferred Juliette's story to Jacques's purely because WWII stories have been written to death.

The author really nailed the mood of Paris and the fact that Parisians are actually pretty friendly if you act like Juliette and not Kevin. (Juliette's husband.) I loved being able to picture the Paris of it all. My only real critique is that about half the book was told in perspective of an American woman and British terms like "bin" instead of "trashcan" were used. I also felt like some of the backstory about Juliette's live in Philadelphia were under researched. But this did not detract from my enjoyment of the book. It was a cozy book that's perfect for a park read outside this spring!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper 360 for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Jacque and his wife Mathilde live in the WWII era of Paris. Both are vibrant characters with a zest for life. Mathilde must go into hiding in order for her to be safe. Jacques stays in Paris with his beloved book shop.

What a fabulous book! So many twists and turns! Truly a story about of love and loss.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins for an advanced copy!

What a powerful story. I don't know ths author, but she packs a punch. This story was about a young shy man in Paris who fell in love with a young woman who worked in a museum. They got married, he opened a bookstore and then the war broke out and the Germans took over the country. The young woman was raging against the Germans, but the man was more mild about it. The book goes from the 1940's to 2022 about every other chapter and you think it would be confusing but it wasn't. It made perfect sense. As the story unfolded, more lives came in contact with them and were changed forever, including theirs. In 2022, a woman and her husband were on vacation and she just couldn't leave. Her husband was not happy,, but she would not change her mind.. As she figures out what to do, she finds the boarded up and neglected bookstore and wants to reopen in. Everything is related and it plays out wonderfully. I truly enjoyed this story and highly recommend it

I got ths book from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review